Wisconsin coach Bret Beilema watches from the sidelines during overtime of the Badgers’ loss to Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, in Madison, Wis. Michigan State won 16-13. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema didn’t shed any light on who the team’s starting quarterback will be this week against Indiana during his weekly news conference on Monday.

But Bielema did lay out some of the things he’s looking for in a starter — and it’s not necessarily the same things as when three quarterbacks were fighting for the job during preseason camp.

Bielema said one benefit to being 10 weeks and nine games into the season is the coaches have an excellent grasp of what the rest of the offense can do. That should place less of a burden on the shoulders of whoever takes over for redshirt freshman Joel Stave, who is out with a broken collarbone suffered against Michigan State on Oct. 27.

After ticking off several players at various offensive positions, who now have clearly designed roles, Bielema said, “You’ve got a lot of veteran players around the quarterback.”

So, whether it’s senior Curt Phillips — who remains the popular choice — or junior Danny O’Brien, Bielema said, “They don’t have to maybe do some extraordinary things. They just have to do the little things well: take care of the football, move the chains, hit the guy that’s open, make the correct call at the line of scrimmage, get us out of a bad call, be able to handle the flow of the game.”

Phillips, who has played in seven games overall, would be making his first career start if he got the nod Saturday in Bloomington, Ind. The game could decide the Leaders Division representative in the Big Ten Conference championship game.

He hasn’t attempted a pass all season and is 7-for-13 for 85 yards in his career, with one interception and no touchdowns. He has rushed 15 times for 136 yards.

Yet, the way Bielema spoke about Phillips last week led many people to jump to the conclusion the fifth-year senior who has endured three ACL surgeries on his right knee is the favorite to start.

When asked to lay out the strengths of the two quarterbacks, Bielema said, “I think Curt, just the perseverance and the battle he’s been through to get to where he is today, kids rally around him extremely well.

“He did a lot to get to where he is, and sometimes when you have that in somebody, it’s very hard to deny them the opportunity to have success. … And Curt’s a runner. He’s a guy that can move the football around a little bit with his arm and with his feet.”

O’Brien, a transfer from Maryland, has started 20 games in his career, including three with the Badgers. He has completed 52 of 86 passes for 523 yards with three touchdowns and one interception this season. But he had a miserable second half against Michigan State after replacing Stave, completing 5 of 11 passes for 44 yards.

One of Bielema’s remarks from last week seemed the most telling. “Danny’s had his shot a couple times this year,” he said.

When laying out a case for O’Brien this time, Bielema said, “Obviously, Danny has started games already this year. … He brings experience in the system that we already have. I think Danny understands the dynamics of a football game, how you’ve got to be able to convert on third downs. I think he understands the importance of ball security now more than ever.

“One thing that we have continued to stress with him is just know that every play matters, every down matters, whether it’s getting rid of the football on a sack situation or being able to make sure everything is right in the huddle before we leave it.”

Another possibility would be to play two quarterbacks, something Indiana has done effectively this season. Bielema didn’t seem enthralled with that option, although he could have been playing coy. If the coaches are feeling less than secure about either quarterback, they might consider using both.

Bielema made it sound like he preferred to not play both, but didn’t totally rule it out, either.

“For the most part, I would say no,” he said. “It’s one guy in and you hope he takes the (reins) and runs (with it).”

Wagner ‘should be full go’

Bielema said starting left tackle Rick Wagner, a senior who missed the past two games with a knee injury, practiced on Thursday and Sunday without any problems.

“Should be with us full go all this week,” Bielema said. “No problems, no issues there.”

Junior defensive end Tyler Dippel (shoulder) is also practicing and is expected to play without any problems.

November sweeps

The Badgers are 22-6 in games played after Nov. 1 in Bielema’s seven years. That includes a 19-2 record in the regular season and 17-2 in Big Ten games.

Bielema gave some of the credit to strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert, who makes finishing the season strong a focus all year long.

The other big factor, Bielema said, is most good programs tend to play their best late in the season.

“The teams that traditionally have been in the hunt have been really strong in November and, fortunately, we’ve been one of those teams,” he said.

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